Information organizing: an evolutionary and development framework

<p>Information behaviour has emerged as an important aspect of human life; however, our<br> knowledge and understanding of it is incomplete and underdeveloped scientifically. Our<br> understanding of information behaviour and the sub-process information organizing<br> behaviour is largely contemporary in focus. In this presentation Professor Spink discusses<br> an evolutionary and developmental framework for information behaviour and information<br> organizing from her recent book Information Behaviour: An Evolutionary Instinct (2010,<br> Springer) by incorporating related findings, theories and models from evolutionary<br> psychology, cognitive archaeology, cognitive neuroscience and developmental psychology.<br> In her presentation, she argues that information behavior and information organizing are<br> important instinctive socio-cognitive abilities for all humans that can only be fully under-<br> stood with an evolutionary and developmental perspective.<br> Professor Spink&rsquo;s presentation addresses four important research questions. Firstly, what&nbsp;is the evolutionary, biological and developmental basis for information behaviour and&nbsp;information organizing behaviour? Secondly, what is the role of instinct versus environment in shaping information behaviour and information organizing behaviour? Thirdly,&nbsp;how have information behaviour and organizing capabilities evolved and developed over&nbsp;human species? Fourthly, when and how do information behaviour and in particular&nbsp;information organizing abilities emerge in young children? An evolutionary and developmental approach lays the foundation for a more holistic perspective on information&nbsp;behaviour and information organizing behaviour, and opens many new research directions.</p>